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Black women living with HIV and hepatitis C virus (HCV) are less likely
to die of liver disease, compared with white and Latina women coinfected
with both viruses, according to a new analysis of the federally funded
Women’s Interagency HIV Study (WIHS) published online ahead of print by the journal Hepatology.

Much
is known about the prevalence, course and treatment of chronic HCV
infection in blacks, including those coinfected with HIV. The prevalence
of HCV is greater among blacks; the virus is less likely to be
spontaneously cleared; and it is harder to treat using pegylated
interferon-based regimens. However, blacks living with HCV experience
less inflammation and fibrosis of their livers compared with whites and
Latinos.

Epidemiologists
have determined that levels of hepatitis C virus (HCV) found among
injection drug users (IDUs) were higher in individuals who are male or
African American even after differences in other factors were
considered. The study, which was funded by the National Cancer
Institute and performed with collaborators from the National Institutes
of Health Clinical Center and the University of California – San
Francisco, was the first to simultaneously examine the association of
demographic, viral and human genetic factors on HCV RNA levels.
Results of the study published in the July issue of Hepatology,
a journal of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases
(AASLD), also showed higher levels of HCV among IDUs who were
co-infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

A 2010 report from the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention (CDC) estimates that up to 3.9 million Americans have
chronic HCV—a leading cause of liver cancer, end-stage liver disease and
liver transplantation. According to the CDC 17,000 new cases and 2,800
acute cases of HCV were reported in 2010. Previous epidemiologic
studies suggest one-third of those 18 to 30 year-old IDUs and up to 90%
of older IDUs are infected with HCV.

“With such a high incidence and prevalence of
hepatitis C virus infection among IDUs, it is important to understand
the characteristics of the infection in this group,” explains lead
author Dr. Thomas O’Brien of the Division of Cancer Epidemiology and
Genetics at the National Cancer Institute in Rockville, MD. “The HCV
RNA level is an important predictor of response to treatment in patients
with chronic hepatitis C. Our study is the first to examine
simultaneously the viral, demographic, and genetic factors that impact
HCV levels in ethnically diverse IDUs.”

Participants were originally recruited for the Urban
Health Study—a multi-ethnic group of IDUs in San Francisco. Researchers
used interview data and biological samples from participants to analyze
demographic, viral and host characteristics of cancer-causing viruses. A
total of 1701 participants had detectable HCV RNA and were included in
the present study. The median age at enrollment was 46 years and median
age of first illicit drug injection was 18 years. Close to 75% of
participants were men and 56% were African American, 34% European
(non-Hispanic) and 7% Latino (non-African American).

Adjusted analysis revealed that age, gender, racial
ancestry, HIV-1 infection, and IL28B rs12979860 genotype were all
independently associated with the HCV RNA level. “We know that the level
of HCV is an important predictor of treatment response and that these
levels seem to be influenced by a number of demographic, clinical, viral
and human genetic factors,” concludes Dr. O’Brien.

Millions of Americans spend years suffering from unexplained health
problems. Sometimes even the best doctors miss the mark: About 40
percent of all mistakes that doctors make are misdiagnoses, says the
National Patient Safety Foundation.

That’s because many ailments have similar symptoms or can be detected
only with tests that your physician might consider unnecessary if he’s
confident in his verdict.

During February’s observance of African American History Month, please join us in working to end the unfortunate history of viral hepatitis’ disproportionate impact on the African American community. This Administration is working hard to reduce and eliminate health disparities and achieve health equity.

Unfortunately, viral hepatitis is a health problem that is often overlooked by the public as well as healthcare providers. This, despite the fact that viral hepatitis is a leading infectious cause of death, claiming the lives of 12,000–15,000 Americans each year. As many as 5.3 million Americans are living with viral hepatitis, though most do not know that they are infected. This places them at greater risk for severe, even fatal, complications from the disease and increases the likelihood that they will spread the virus to others.

Newswise — Washington, DC, (October 31, 2011) – Studies reporting on the effectiveness of new therapies for chronic Hepatitis C virus are among the clinical science presented at the American College of Gastroenterology’s 76th Annual Scientific Meeting, where investigators also presented findings from an age-based risk assessment and screening intervention for Hepatitis C among Baby Boomers, patients aged 50-65, who saw a gastroenterologist for routine colon cancer screening.

With the recent introduction of new direct acting anti-viral therapies, physicians now have more options for treatment of chronic hepatitis, a chronic viral liver disease that infects more than 4 million Americans. Several studies of the new drug telaprevir in combination with the standard of care (pegylated interferon and ribavirin) looked at the drug’s effectiveness among populations of patients who, because of race or failure of previous treatment, are considered hard-to-treat.

Response Rates Among Blacks Double When New Drugs Are Added to Standard Therapy

Blacks have always lagged behind other patient populations in their response to the standard peginterferon and ribavirin therapy, but the treatment gap between blacks and whites may shrink with the introduction of new therapies. Results vary, but overall studies quote a response rate of 28% among blacks and about half that for white patients.

“Some of the most impressive improvements are in African American patients,” said Donald Jensen, MD, professor of medicine and director of the liver center at the University of Chicago. “[In some patients], we’re seeing response rates as high as 50% or more for the first time.”

The study is aimed at assessing the safety and immunogenicity of HCV prime-boost vaccinations ChAd3-hliNSmut and MVA-hliNSmut, administered intramuscularly in healthy volunteers and DAA treated patients. To read the entire study, click here Share This PageFollow Us … Continue reading → The post The study is aimed at assessing the safety and immunogenicity of HCV […]

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of DAA-based regimens in the clinical practice in HIV/HCV-coinfected patients. Hypothesis: The efficacy and tolerability of all DAA-based regimens in the clinical practice is different to what is … Continue reading → The post Real-life Security and Efficacy of DAA-based Therapy in 1,000 […]